@@SniffHeinkel Unsupported? There are more people supporting Unix/Linux than work at Microsoft, even counting custodians and parking lot attendants. That said, if you want Windows for your use case, have at it. Remember, Unix *is* user friendly. It's just choosy who it's friends are.
@@SniffHeinkel I've been doing both applications and OS fore more than 40 years. Most commercial software is worse than you think - you've simply been fortunate enough not to have run into the issue. One software I was involved with had over 74,000 documented code errors, some as old as 11 years, and only the ones with more than 5,000 reports were considered for tasking for resolution. They may not make it even then. With open source, you have a fighting chance that someone somewhere will fix it, and if not, you can hire it done. Can't do that with closed source.
A reason I got rid of Onedrive is because Microsoft deemed it important for me to have it. I prefer to make my own decisions regarding what gets installed on my computers.
@@roncaruso931 This means you are only moving the location where a large corporation reads your data. With a NAS and e.g. Owncloud, your data stays with you and no one else. (You have posted it many times, so I answer you many times 😊)
This is actually an extremely helpful video. Many people complain that when they go to save a word document they are directed to save it in the One Drive folder despite One Drive having been uninstalled. This explains why. Thanks
Tech people are notoriously inept at explaining things at the level of understanding of those they are seeking to assist. How often have you watched an instructional video and not really learned anything? But Leo's videos don't assume that others have his own background knowledge and experience. I for one always learn something when Leo is giving the explanation.
I generally find that learning most things in life is a lot easier if you have two or more sources of knowledge. I think Leo has felt our pain with some things and knows all our questions in advance
Same for the default browser setting. You can set it to whatever you want but upon opening a hyperlink, Microsoft's own Edge program fired up while I'm using Firefox for over 20 years and have set that as my default browser. Microsoft just ignores that setting. Also, they include Microsoft Defender to get rid of spyware but they build in their own spyware software (which gathers data and displays popups and suggestions) but it doesn't get rid of that either, as if Microsoft's spyware isn't spyware.
It's called One Drive, but handles two drives.... by the way, thank you Leo for this very welcomed video. My C-drive space was used up almost completely by all the files I collected in One Drive, before I used Windows 11. I completely did not comprehend the sense of this. If you choose to store your files in the cloud, why would one store them on the PC as well. For back-up, I store important files on DVD and archive them.
Leo, You are so great ! I wish I had found you sooner. Bought a new laptop and went through hell with one drive. I think in the process I lost some files when it deleted them from my hard drive. Thanks again .
Thanks Leo. A friend was asking the very question you've answered. Since I only use Fedora Linux on all of my systems at work and the family, I was not able to answer my friend's question. So thank you again! One suggestion: renaming the one drive folder when it is no longer connected is probably a good idea. That way, there is no confusion.
Many years ago did not know about 'unlinking' and just went ahead and stripped out Onedrive with an uninstall tool. I also deleted the Onedrive folder. This was a big mistake because the Onedrive folder is just a simlink to your My Docs folder and this action deleted all my stuff. No warning, nothing - it just let me delete all my files and Bingo they where gone! This is completely nuts. How the developer can provide software that could potentially lead to data loss when it is supposed to be a backup solution is beyond me.
Next time you'll think better and just pay the $ per month for extra OneDrive storage. Isn't Microsoft great at marketing their valuable and life-enhancing products? :v
As you may already know now is that doing a complete OS system clone/image backup or partial backup to a external drive of your files is a must. Especially when deleting a windows program. I have win11 now and things like that botched up win 11 update 2 weeks ago is the best reason in the world have a good Backup plan. I like Leo's advise.
@@mebobtheone 💯 I've been in a fog for the past 4 or 5 years, running Win7 machines that were dialed up to my liking. Now, within 3 weeks, I have a WIn10 laptop, a Win11 laptop, and a USB drive with Linux. And the bottom line is and has always been -- make as many redundant backups as you have space for. I installed Revo to uninstall OneDrive on the Win11 laptop. And one of the directions I'd seen was that after uninstalling it using Revo, go back and delete all the OneDrive folders you see. Done! Oh chit! What happened to all my desktop icons?!!!! Gone with that user/my name folder!! Fire up Paragon and restore the full image b/u I just made. Live and learn.
Thanks, Leo. I got a new PC 10 days ago and didn’t even realize that all my files were going to one drive until I was trying to find a file last night! I didn’t use one drive on the ancient Windows 10 PC that I just upgraded from so I never even thought about it. I agree with other commenters. Microsoft shouldn’t force one drive on users, especially when they don’t even warn you about it.
I have two one drives... You see, I use Windows at home and in the office. Confusing? You bet. Here is a thought... could software developers respect our right to organize our data ourselves? It feels so very invasive. Thank you for outlining this topic.
All they have done so far (MS) is to increase the number of rows in Excel. Chucked out NTFS and force you to click on "pretty pictures" instead of drop-down logical organization of private data.
So many tools could give us way more control over how they work. It always seemed to be the whole point of computers that we could program stuff to work the way we wanted. Apps kinda took that away from us. Now tools seem to minimise setting controls and hide away options/commands to give us 'clean white uncluttered' looks to make things harder to use.
If you use the "Snipping Tool" in Windows 11, one of its default settings is to "Automatically save screenshots". Guess where those images are saved? In a "Screenshots" folder-which is a subfolder within the "Pictures" folder-that is located in... wait for it... OneDrive (i.e., in Microsoft's cloud). If you use Win11, any time you've used the Print Screen key (whose functionality is now linked to the Snipping Tool), you've probably-unwittingly-saved that screenshot to Microsoft's cloud.
@@askleonotenboom but its enable by default so MOST people, I mean people who are not aware of this - just normal people who want to use Windows 11 for their own business, do not know that. So its just a obstacle, its not my own, consious, decision.
Thanks for posting this video! I gave up on trying to get OneDrive to STOP grabbing the files because I unlinked OneDrive from the PC and it would automatically RECONNECT when I saved a file to the Pictures folder or the Documents folder. I literally unlinked the same PC 2 or 3 times from OneDrive. By switching to a local account, I was able to get OneDrive to stop grabbing files.
Something like that happened to me when I first set up this PC-- soon to be my former PC, because of a broken keyboard. I was the equivalent of screaming at MS that I just wanted to get RID of this program, because it had already put a sensitive piece of info on the Cloud that I didn't want on there; every time I'd reboot, it'd run again, and the file would go back on the Cloud; MS had me alter my registry. Worked like a charm. I hope my new PC doesn't do the same thing and run whilst I'm first setting it up, or I will have a nervous breakdown.
@@LS-ei7xk That's good to know about the registry setting. Since posting my comment above (maybe about a week ago or so), I learned of some OneDrive settings you can use to better control what gets stored in OneDrive. I can't tell you where those settings are, right now, but you can prevent the "Documents" folder, for example, from being stored in OneDrive. Something to consider for those still dealing with OneDrive.
@@TheCocoaDaddy That's nice to know. A shame we can't post the info here. I just got a new PC with Win 11; strangely enough, it didn't immediately grab my documents, that I could tell. Now MS just keeps annoying ppl with an interface about why one should use one of its programs instead of automatically running them. But I am needing to return that PC anyway, because of other defects, so I'm back to my old PC running Win 10, with a broken keyboard.
One drive is the first thing to go when I start getting rid of all the junk on an install. I'll hang on to my own stuff just fine. Nothing keeps THEM from searching your files, or anyone who hacks it. You don't know how many copies are made or if anything you delete is deleted. While I don't have any top secret guvmint material or sensitive company contracts (that you know of) it just seemed like a bad idea from the first time I saw it.
Good video Leo but I think you missed two important things. Before you unlink you should go in and manage the backup feature and turn it off. I don't remember clearly how I did this but it is under settings. This will put your documents, pictures, etc. back to the correct place. The other issue is it may store some things only in the cloud like it did with a clients pictures. OneDrive caused all kinds of issues since we use a different syncing program. Luckily we just created a new profile and the other syncing program put everything back (of course after uninstalling OneDrive).
@@askleonotenboom Thanks for video. Subbed and liked. MS forced me to use OneDrive. Little did I know It was installed and syncing with new Win 11, Corsair 4090. I was using Documents folder with all my private info as I usually do. I had no idea it was really a OneDrive folder. I did not turn on OneDrive. It had backed up all my private Docs, passwords etc. and family pictures and was keeping NOTHING local. I had no idea how to recover. Took me 6 hours to learn software and recover. Where do I send the bill? Shame on you MS bully! Anyways, if you "move" files from OneDrive to local folder (other than 1D folder) they will be deleted on cloud, As opposed to just unlink or "Always keep Local Copy" function of 1D. The OneDrive folder is full of shortcut redirects and corrupted several of my prefs and all desktop icons etc. Basically it wreaks havoc on left panel of File Explorer as well. Last time I looked I had 3 desktops folders and 2 Documents, 2 Pictures etc Win 11 File Explorer, Oh man, another embarrassment. Later with that. Keep up good work! You have job security. 50 years IT, never been this angry.!
Sorry to hear that you had this problem but now I know that I am not the only one with a computer science degree that is struggling with one drive. Started when updating to windows 11 and my computer froze. My files have been disorganized for 2 months. Am thinking about going back to Linux
@@leonardodalongisland I just go to OneDrive settings, make sure the save space is turned off (don't exactly remember where this is) so it will take all the files stored in the cloud down and make them local, then I turn off all the backup features that where turned on. Once this is done I uninstall OneDrive. Please note that making some of the files local can take some time. It looks like Leo has a video on how to download all OneDrive files to my PC. I have not watched it yet but it may be something to do before turning off the backup features.
Like Edge, OneDrive is a Microsoft curse. In the old days MS just sold you its software and left you alone. Now - like so many other companies - they're constantly forcing their hairbrainded, half-baked, trashy junk on you at every turn. It would be so nice to be able to get a clean, stable OS installation that ALWAYS works. Sadly, MS's best software engineers are now being deployed to greener pastures (most notably AI) and with Windows we're forced to suffer, having constantly to deal with sh***y, unfinished cr**.
Leo, thank you so much for your clear explanation! I have a 256GB flash drive for programs and OS and a 1T hard drive for data. OneDrive is living on C and sucking up all the room. It was duplicating all my data in the folder on C PLUS storing in the cloud. I don't know why it is set up like this and it's just a very bad system. Thanks for your help.
Brilliant explanation and instructions. I'm guessing that you are retired and therefore able to spend the time it takes to produce great content. Either way, keep up the charitable work, the world needs you!
I uninstalled OneDrive using Revo, an excellent uninstaller that gets all the leftover stuff a generic uninstall leaves behind. One drive was confusing and intrusive- It keeps popping up. I also fear loss of privacy, not knowing what is getting uploaded. I really hate the way MS pushes their products into your workflow. . What should be neutral administrative settings actually pushes ads for their “360” products. Really annoying. I’m wondering about getting rid of Bing and Edge and using Firefox or other browser. Anyone done that?
Its done because most don't backup at all so the app it set to MS defaults rather than users with no understanding being expected to manually set it up. "I’m wondering about getting rid of Bing and Edge " come approx April 2024 on a clean install if you select EU as the country/region you will get the option to be able to uninstall both and set your search in Win11 to somebody other than bing.
@@roncaruso931 This means you are only moving the location where a large corporation reads your data. With a NAS and e.g. Owncloud, your data stays with you and no one else.
Leo, your timing and delivery at the start is blooming genius! I only use my PC for media and games. The constant memory hogging the microsoft stuff manages does my head in.
Got one of those stupide "Memories!!" emails and came to get some help with this. Thank you so much!!! It's very invasive and I have no clue who would even want a random image from their computer emailed to them. This is my computer- it could contain unpleasant but important documents I don't want to see on a random Friday. It is not a social media site where that information has been knowingly and willingly shared publicly for the purpose of revisiting it later.
One thing you missed, Leo. If you right-click the OneDrive folder, select 'Properties', and check the 'Hidden' box then the OneDrive folder will no longer clutter up your file explorer. And it's easy to unhide the folder if necessary.
@@N7TWL Under the 'View' tab in file explorer, have you checked the box for 'Hidden items'? That's what I meant by "it's easy to unhide the folder if necessary".
Thanks Leo. Does diconecting Onedrive also disconect desktop, documents and photos from the system, but leave it stand alone on the computer? Another issue that I have noticed with W11, is that Edge coppies all my browsing data from Google Chrome, something I have been unable to detect and block within Edge;s settings.
Disconnecting OneDrive then stops it from interactin gwith Documents, etc. HOWEVER if you had the OneDrive backup featured turned on, then the Documents folder may still be left inside the OneDrive folder... but that's location only, OneDrive isn't operating on it when disconnected. Edge offers the option to import Chrome data when you set it up or begin using it. It's a one-time thing, though.
@@Thomas_P_aus_M I'm not some hotkey snob, but there's a few that are really good to know for every user. In particular with launching Task Manager, the graphical unresponsiveness means using your mouse and right clicking the Taskbar is a poor method, and using Ctrl + Alt + Del brings the whole computer to a screeching halt, which can cause everything, including Windows, to crash. Ctrl + Shift + Esc lets you try to rescue the situation without upsetting everything.
Thank you for sharing in such an understandable concise way! I would like to understand the difference of having OneDrive with out turning on the back up 'feature' ? I mean if it syncs files from your computer to the cloud without turning on 'back up' then what more does back up do?
Thankyou .I recently purchased a new PC because my old PC won't run windows 11 .Some apps just don't like one drive .Fl Studio in particular .I think that windows is being a bit like Golam " sneaky " !
I want to take the time to THANK YOU for being the only video I have watched that answered the biggest questions (that you would think would be important in ALL videos) that I have had and I am leaving here finally confident because of your straight to the point, very informative NOT CONFUSING teachings. lol. thank you.
Leo - a question - In File Explorer - Right Click on Documents > Properties > Location and location shows documents is in the OneDrive Folder. Is this OK and how to change the location?
I never use OneDrive. I couldn't figure it out when I first got my computer so I just walked away from it -- and my opinion of Microsoft dropped even lower than it already was.
I was led into using OneDrive when I needed to transfer files from one Windows 10 laptop to a new Windows 11 one. It took days! And, because of the file size, I had to take out a subscription which allowed the use of Microsoft Office software I don't want. My plan was to cancel the subscription when I was sure the transfer was complete. That's the stage I'm at and this excellent video explanation has given me more confidence to cancel the subscription with consequences I'm not sure about. I wish I'd just used an external drive in the first instance and will be backing up all my files to one before I get rid of OneDrive.
I got rid of it because Microsoft made it the default when Windows was loaded on my computer, and every file I saved was being saved to One Drive and not my computer. When I went to find a file I had saved, I couldn't find it until I looked in the One Drive folder. It ticked me off. I have no problem with MS providing the service to anyone who wants to use it, but forcing it on a user without permission, is not acceptable.
This is helpful. My problem with Onedrive is that it mixed everything up with my Desktop folder and I had a heck of a job sorting things out. In fact, although I got rid of Onedrive months ago, and I'm still not sure where everything is, exactly. it would be far, far better if a new Windows install gave us the option to _not_ install Onedrive in the first place, and let us decide for ourselves whether we wanted things saved to 'the cloud' or not.
I went a little different route. I uninstalled onedrive, then went to settings>storage and pointed documents, pictures, videos and music to a separate MVME drive. I don't like storing that data on the C drive in case it goes bad
That is pretty much what I do, I use C as working system drive (meaning I don't need a very large drive) and use larger mechanical drive as storage. Which in working theory is good practice. However, It's not a failsafe and is not protected from any virus, malware etc. Because it's connected to your system and you still should make a backup of that drive to another external drive. Once created separate it from system, do not leave connected.
hey leo i didnt unlink onedrive and i deleted it from settings but when i go to c: drive in file explorer and type onedrive on the search then i see files related to onedrive like onedrive.png, onedrive setup and other things like that. And if i try to delete them my desktop shortcuts go away and the only thing i see in my desktop is the recycle bin
Thank you so very much for this fantastic information, my laptop has been totally messed up with Onedrive since I bought it, this is exactly what I needed to reinstall it and then get rid of it.
It is worth noting that turning off OneDrive does not move the data it contained into the local Documents folder hierarchy. That data remains in the OneDrive folder. I manually copied/moved that data into Documents. I use Excel like a table of contents to open a myriad of files using hyperlinks. OneDrive made that difficult - the OneDrive path to the files is not native to the local PC. Files stored in OneDrive do not "open" if the are already open - there is an error message generated, instead. That might sound silly, but I switch to open files all the time using my Excel hyperlinks.
Thank you Leo...I find that 'One Drive' is far too intrusive, whatever I wish to do, Microsoft HIJACKS my projects! I attempted to delete my pictures today from 'photos', (I'm unsure where they were, probably Microsoft ?), and they VANISHED! I was lucky that they were in the recycle bin so I was able to retrieve them. I am SO happy that you covered this subject! I will give it a go. 'One Drive for me, is a nuisance! Also, I am waiting for Google to abandon gmail in Basic HTML. The 'Standard' version is AWFUL! Why do they change things for the detriment of their users? If it 'ain't broken, then leave well ALONE, AND they call it progress! I digress..Thank you once more...
@@roncaruso931 This means you are only moving the location where a large corporation reads your data. With a NAS and e.g. Owncloud, your data stays with you and no one else. (You have posted it many times, so I answer you many times 😊)
Thanks for the video. A couple of years ago, my computer wasn't connected to the net, but I continued using it offline, I had some story drafts I had written and saved while using my computer offline, when we got my computer back online and the one drive resynced to my computer, it deleted all my story drafts. I didn't realise that one drive just overides or deletes files that were altered while offline.
Great video, thank you. I did manage to get this all figured out on my own about a week ago when I purchased a new PC, and took all the steps you outlined here. The very last thing I noticed was the remaining Onedrive folder. I store a lot of things on my desktop folder, which is normally located in the User folder and was a bit shocked to find that Onedrive had moved it from my User folder and into my Onedrive folder. I managed to change the location of my Desktop folder back to its original location. I then deleted the Onedrive folder. Adios! Now, to deal with Microsoft Edge Uggh!
As a freelancer I have chosen to move all my customer files and most data files to a separate PRIVATE cloud account, but still leave OneDrive running for only a few files. By modifying the Choose Folders option in OneDrive account settings, you can limit what OneDrive syncs, all the way down to a single folder and file if you want. Just make sure you keep current backups of any files that aren't synced to the cloud, either through a backup service, NAS, attached hard drive, or portable drive.
Good choice. I made the same decision. They simply don't want to make all their RnD documents, drawings be stored in a "secure" cloud, because some day, they will realize that the competition made...the same product, using their draft :) Sad too few people are aware of that "possibility".
You think a private cloud account is saver from access of people who run that cloud ? Why the urge to store things in places you don't know about. You keep your Jewelry in a locker in a house you don't even know where it is, and the owner "promised" you to have no 2nd key ? How many terrabytes of data people have ? Maybe clean out your kitty-image-folder. Companies might have that amount, but they also have their own servers, so why insist on cloud-storage ? File-sharing could and still can be done without a "cloud".
@@guruware8612 Well said. Some time ago there was "we want your money" and now "we want your money and data". Soon we might expect adding "...and your private/sensitive data" (health, webcams, cam in a car).
An important thing to know about Startup apps: The Startup Settings page Windows 11 shows you defaults to running apps located in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup. While this works, it runs the original .EXE file without any command line arguments. If you want Windows 11 to start up a Shortcut with its own command line options, you need to put that Shortcut in your User Account's AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup folder.
What I find so puzzling is how Microsoft can write so many buggy, impossible to figure out and user-unfriendly programs which carry on being supported for years yet have deprecated really good legacy programs such as Money and the TV recording prog whose name escapes me.
I used and loved MS MONEY back in the day. After they canned it, I ended up going with Excel to store my banking transactions. For what I was doing, it works for me. I certainly didn't need to buy something to do that.
For every 100k units sold it takes 10k techs to repair it, which in turn support the crapware because they make a living. I have been there as A+ tech. Been that way since day one when I starting using it in 1985. No self respecting quality coder would ever work for MS! They farm out many projects to India where a boatload of coders making $5 hr can hardly help but create an over-complicated, overdone, piece of bloatware.
I unsynced it because it was so confusing at first. Now about a year later I think I could probably get some good use out of it so I'll be checking out your other OneDrive videos to learn what it's actually all about before syncing back up. Thanks for the content!
As soon as I get a New PC I go online and download an uninstaller then delete all the stuff I don't want on the PC it might take me a couple of hours but it's worth it.
Nevertheless, it can happen that one day a Windows update will reinstall or reactivate the unwanted things. So you always have to be careful and waste valuable time keeping an eye on this crap. Using Windows is like buying a big piece of cheese with holes and worms and then plugging all the holes for the rest of your life. (translated with google, german/english)
@@Thomas_P_aus_M I haven't had anything I've deleted from the windows setup reinstall itself yet and that's in 10 years of using W10 I also delete the Xbox content as I don't need it on my PC.
You are very good at explaining things. I just have disabled mine in the startup settings. The problem is that OneDrive pretends to be both a backup tool and a file synching tool. But it's only a synching tool (not a real backup tool). And they way they implemented their pseudo-backup is horrible.
@@roncaruso931 Google Drive is even worse since Google scans and parses every document you upload to it, and the company's reasons for doing so are not beneficial to you.
@@roncaruso931 This means you are only moving the location where a large corporation reads your data. With a NAS and e.g. Owncloud, your data stays with you and no one else. (You have posted it many times, so I answer you many times 😊)
Its quite good if you want to move to another computer and carry on working without having to copy your user, or if you just want to access one drive and office online and do your work as a guest on another computer. People use it alot in offices for swapping desks.
It can be undone you just need to turn off (untick) OneDrive "Backup Your Folders" before uninstalling OneDrive. Now the default 3 folders it moved to OneDrive (Desktop, Documents & Pictures) still remain in OneDrive so you can right click on each folder, select Properties, select Location Tab then select Restore Defaults and it will be moved back.
This was the part of the video I hoped Leo would have covered in more detail, ie. how to restore the folders that Onedrive ‘stole’ from my system. Thanks for the info on how to do that!
👍 Thank you SO much. I've watched many videos and read many documents about how to untangle my PC from the insidious OneDrive and you are the first one to make sense with something that actually works. After following your clear, straightforward instructions, my OneDrive cloud storage is now a separate entity that I can download from, and I've taken back control of my file backups. I much prefer doing manual backups to an external hard /SSD/USB drive without the B.S. of having folders and files hijacked or deleted from my PC when I delete them from the backup. Phew. One less thing in life to stress about. 🥰
I absolutely despise OneDrive because it overloaded my disk space and permanently made it so my computer is constantly over full. My device is sitting at 185 percent full and i desperately need to clear this damned application off. Thanks for the video!
I've run into the same problem with storage space. It also completely demolished my iTunes folder. Never making the mistake of installing OneDrive again. I'm still trying to fix all the damage it's caused
Great explanation of how to de-install. I am wondering if you have encountered this problem: I download a Google photo to Windows and copy it a photos folder on file explorer. I did this in the past, but now with Onedrive/Windows 11, I get a message invalid value for registry. Do you know how to solve this? I don't like the way Google share files and therefore used the download method in the past.
I would suggest before uninstalling OneDrive if it has been set to Backup Your Folders (default is: desktop, Pictures & Documents) that you first turn untick those folders otherwise trying to say restore the documents folder now located in OneDrive from it's right click Properties, Location Tab will likely result in an error message that's easiest fixed by reinstalling OneDrive, signing in then untick those folders in "Backup Your Folders".
Intrusiveness be gone! Thanks for this well-presented, easy fix. Worked like a charm. Great marketing idea, Microsoft: add annoying red "x" icons all over your files and folders if you've exceeded the free cloud storage limit. The final straw for me was I added pictures to my photo folder this morning and OneDrive disabled the extra large and large thumbnail views and only allowed icons to be displayed instead unless I upgraded my storage. How incredibly petty.
I tried to uninstall and it appeared to do so but it still in my folders. Didn't work! Down to destruction with ONE DRIVE!! All it has done is create a giant mess for me and my computer. Microsoft harassing me about purchasing more storage. I didn't even know I was loading up to one drive. Everytime I shut it down it comes back to life on its own
Thank you so much for this super helpful video! Not only did this help me get rid of one drive which I didn't want in the first place, but also gave me a clear explanation of the workings of apps. Thank you so much!!! You made my day!
Thank you. I had no idea what was happening as all of a sudden my OneDrive in my phone went up to 28,000 files and I had just bought a new laptop to work with my art. I actually paid for more space when I already pay for drop box. This makes me super irritated. Not sure I have the ability to get rid of it completely but I think I understand you can get it off your devices without losing the iCloud OneDrive info. Thanks for the info. Thumbs up, 👍
Excellent presentation. I have a little trouble following your cursor on my pixel 4a. It might help if you could put a yellow circle around your cursor as i have seen many RUclipsrs do this. Just a suggestion. Thanks
Thanks Leo, I hated the One drive. It was a pain cause I couldn't see my newer files cause the one drive was full. Now I can see them all by unlinking them
Thank you so much for this great video! I've been having such an awful time with OneDrive that now I absolutely hate it. I had to replace my old computer, which had OneDrive on it but only bugged me about saving Word docs. So I have files I working on and suddenly after the last update couldn't find them. Eventually found them in OneDrive. I turned off the auto backup and moved the files back only to have it take them again. Now, I have two copies of OneDrive and and it's still hijacking my files. I hope your wonderful video will let me put this monster to bed for good! Thank you for saving my sanity.
Thank you Leo. You have a talent as a good clear and concise educator, I’m upgrading to a Panasonic Tough Book soon, have you or can you do a video on what to do with a New machine to get rid of all the (big brother) app and tricky that the tech companies sneak into machines (I don’t want or need “cloud” computing) or anything similar, I run a back up onto my own free standing hard drive once a week. Thank you again.
The 1st words out of his mouth is to try to say good things about the OneDrive. And he says "that running without OneDrive is what you really, really want to do". LOL You make it seem like such a cautious decision! Yes get rid of it! Good video
Like this video very much. Leo, in connection to OneD, is it possible to remove "Start backup" from file explorer without losing any files stored in OD? It's my understanding they are connected. Look forward to hearing your answer.
You may find that Windows defaulting documents to the OneDrive folder interferes with installation of some older software. This can be easily changed in the Windows registry.
Hey Leo - Thanks a LOT, this video helped me to be free of yet another Microsoft tyranny. OneDrive nearly hammered a critical DB I'm developing. The worst part is what Microsoft doesn't tell you the extent to which it manipulates your system. And I'd point out that although it's disconnection leaves it 'benign', the alteration of the file structure can be a pitfall for the simple reason that was unexpected and not implicitly stated at the outset. Thanks again.
After uninstall Onedrive as a storage folder. In future whatever programme or etc is being downloaded or saved, where do those items being saved directly? Thanks
Thank you sir for this amazing content. Hope you get millions of subscribers. Can't believe no one had explained all this with all the deep details and in such a form that anyone can understand. Subscribed!
What about archiving the contents on Onedrive and move the archive to Google Drive then unarchive the file and that should be that providing you have a Google account.
how do you keep the camera (on surface pro 9) from recreating the folder and using it instead of my camera roll? I have the same problem with the scan app.
I was puzzled to see the space in C drive dwindling. Soon I searched for Large files and noticed a replica of OneDrive folder in C drive. I discontinued synchronization and deleted all replicated files. The space in my C drive is within safe limits since then. Thanks for the information on additional step of Uninstalling.
I have been able to move most of the system folders out of one drive and to the root of drive D: where I prefer them. I have NOT been able to move the Documents and Pictures folders out of One Drive to D: and have them remain as system folders. What am I missing? Thanks for a great video.
I did everything you said, uninstalled the app, but some folders in my pc has these red x's on them after one drive was activated. What do the red circles with an x mean on only some of the folders?
Great video! Jamming One drive into Windows 11 with out an easy guide to follow makes this a confusing nightmare. I erased program and hope I don't need in the future. Thanks again!
Why not just go to Settings -> Apps -> Startup and set the flag for OneDrive to Off, which as I understand it will prevent OneDrive from starting when you log in to your account. Wouldn't that be the simplest and most easily reversible of all solutions? Also, given that there are two kinds of accounts -- Microsoft accounts and local accounts (which are what I use) -- do the ramifications of "getting rid of OneDrive" differ between the two?
I almost made a mistake, I purchased downloaded and installed Microsoft Office 2019. Figuring I might still need it. Once I give up on trying to get a job, I will not worry about it and just use Libre Office. It installed the Onedrive but I still had to log in. I didn't so it hasn't moved by files to the one drive. Boy was I worried.
What happens with the files that are not fully downloaded on the computer when you disconnect OneDrive as proposed in the video? What happens with the sync and backup connection of the documents, music, pictures folder after disconnecting the OneDrive?
Thank you!!!!! It should be illegal for Microsoft to default to sending your personal documents to their cloud. Sure, we may not be logged in but if you think that'll stop them, I've got this bridge...
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
When you’re just done with the intrusiveness and confusion.
@@motoryzen Typical Linux user. Find any opportunity to shove your unsupported OS onto Windows users. No thanks.
@@SniffHeinkel Unsupported? There are more people supporting Unix/Linux than work at Microsoft, even counting custodians and parking lot attendants. That said, if you want Windows for your use case, have at it. Remember, Unix *is* user friendly. It's just choosy who it's friends are.
@@Trump2PrisonOn34Counts I'm talking about third party software.
@@SniffHeinkel I've been doing both applications and OS fore more than 40 years. Most commercial software is worse than you think - you've simply been fortunate enough not to have run into the issue. One software I was involved with had over 74,000 documented code errors, some as old as 11 years, and only the ones with more than 5,000 reports were considered for tasking for resolution. They may not make it even then.
With open source, you have a fighting chance that someone somewhere will fix it, and if not, you can hire it done. Can't do that with closed source.
Yes linux and local IT people to help with linux. Which is a good thing. @@motoryzen
A reason I got rid of Onedrive is because Microsoft deemed it important for me to have it. I prefer to make my own decisions regarding what gets installed on my computers.
Screw Microsoft. I use Google Drive.
@@motoryzen HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU :: "NoAutoUpdate"=dword:00000001
Permanently blocks Windows Updates and Notifications.
edit: (Setting NoAutoUpdate to 0 re-enables them.)
@@roncaruso931😂😂😂
@@roncaruso931
This means you are only moving the location where a large corporation reads your data.
With a NAS and e.g. Owncloud, your data stays with you and no one else.
(You have posted it many times, so I answer you many times 😊)
I dont need app Store:) Windows really think i must have that? But i need telnet and it could have been uninstalled by them.
This is actually an extremely helpful video. Many people complain that when they go to save a word document they are directed to save it in the One Drive folder despite One Drive having been uninstalled. This explains why. Thanks
Tech people are notoriously inept at explaining things at the level of understanding of those they are seeking to assist. How often have you watched an instructional video and not really learned anything? But Leo's videos don't assume that others have his own background knowledge and experience. I for one always learn something when Leo is giving the explanation.
I generally find that learning most things in life is a lot easier if you have two or more sources of knowledge. I think Leo has felt our pain with some things and knows all our questions in advance
I think it is a very strange business strategy to FORCE your customer to use a tool they DO NOT WANT.
Same for the default browser setting. You can set it to whatever you want but upon opening a hyperlink, Microsoft's own Edge program fired up while I'm using Firefox for over 20 years and have set that as my default browser. Microsoft just ignores that setting. Also, they include Microsoft Defender to get rid of spyware but they build in their own spyware software (which gathers data and displays popups and suggestions) but it doesn't get rid of that either, as if Microsoft's spyware isn't spyware.
@@powerpc6037their browser makes it feel like i'm still on Windows XP. Such a weird browser
Their business is sharing all the data you gave them access to. Still find their behavior "strange?"
It's called One Drive, but handles two drives.... by the way, thank you Leo for this very welcomed video. My C-drive space was used up almost completely by all the files I collected in One Drive, before I used Windows 11. I completely did not comprehend the sense of this. If you choose to store your files in the cloud, why would one store them on the PC as well. For back-up, I store important files on DVD and archive them.
Leo, You are so great ! I wish I had found you sooner. Bought a new laptop and went through hell with one drive. I think in the process I lost some files when it deleted them from my hard drive. Thanks again .
I just purchased my new laptop. OMG! OneDrive hell 😈. THANK YOU LEO!
Thanks Leo. A friend was asking the very question you've answered. Since I only use Fedora Linux on all of my systems at work and the family, I was not able to answer my friend's question. So thank you again!
One suggestion: renaming the one drive folder when it is no longer connected is probably a good idea. That way, there is no confusion.
Many years ago did not know about 'unlinking' and just went ahead and stripped out Onedrive with an uninstall tool. I also deleted the Onedrive folder. This was a big mistake because the Onedrive folder is just a simlink to your My Docs folder and this action deleted all my stuff. No warning, nothing - it just let me delete all my files and Bingo they where gone! This is completely nuts. How the developer can provide software that could potentially lead to data loss when it is supposed to be a backup solution is beyond me.
Next time you'll think better and just pay the $ per month for extra OneDrive storage. Isn't Microsoft great at marketing their valuable and life-enhancing products? :v
As you may already know now is that doing a complete OS system clone/image backup or partial backup to a external drive of your files is a must. Especially when deleting a windows program. I have win11 now and things like that botched up win 11 update 2 weeks ago is the best reason in the world have a good Backup plan. I like Leo's advise.
@@mebobtheone 💯 I've been in a fog for the past 4 or 5 years, running Win7 machines that were dialed up to my liking. Now, within 3 weeks, I have a WIn10 laptop, a Win11 laptop, and a USB drive with Linux. And the bottom line is and has always been -- make as many redundant backups as you have space for.
I installed Revo to uninstall OneDrive on the Win11 laptop. And one of the directions I'd seen was that after uninstalling it using Revo, go back and delete all the OneDrive folders you see. Done! Oh chit! What happened to all my desktop icons?!!!! Gone with that user/my name folder!! Fire up Paragon and restore the full image b/u I just made. Live and learn.
Thanks, Leo. I got a new PC 10 days ago and didn’t even realize that all my files were going to one drive until I was trying to find a file last night! I didn’t use one drive on the ancient Windows 10 PC that I just upgraded from so I never even thought about it. I agree with other commenters. Microsoft shouldn’t force one drive on users, especially when they don’t even warn you about it.
Things would be darker had M$ embedded OD as a sys. app.
I have two one drives...
You see, I use Windows at home and in the office.
Confusing? You bet.
Here is a thought... could software developers respect our right to organize our data ourselves? It feels so very invasive.
Thank you for outlining this topic.
All they have done so far (MS) is to increase the number of rows in Excel. Chucked out NTFS and force you to click on "pretty pictures" instead of drop-down logical organization of private data.
So many tools could give us way more control over how they work. It always seemed to be the whole point of computers that we could program stuff to work the way we wanted. Apps kinda took that away from us. Now tools seem to minimise setting controls and hide away options/commands to give us 'clean white uncluttered' looks to make things harder to use.
@@theotherside8258 that be because most of these devices are for people that will never spend the time to figure out how they work.
If you use the "Snipping Tool" in Windows 11, one of its default settings is to "Automatically save screenshots". Guess where those images are saved? In a "Screenshots" folder-which is a subfolder within the "Pictures" folder-that is located in... wait for it... OneDrive (i.e., in Microsoft's cloud). If you use Win11, any time you've used the Print Screen key (whose functionality is now linked to the Snipping Tool), you've probably-unwittingly-saved that screenshot to Microsoft's cloud.
Pictures is only in OneDrive if you've enabled the (confusing and destructive) OneDrive "backup" feature.
@@askleonotenboom but its enable by default so MOST people, I mean people who are not aware of this - just normal people who want to use Windows 11 for their own business, do not know that. So its just a obstacle, its not my own, consious, decision.
Thanks for posting this video! I gave up on trying to get OneDrive to STOP grabbing the files because I unlinked OneDrive from the PC and it would automatically RECONNECT when I saved a file to the Pictures folder or the Documents folder. I literally unlinked the same PC 2 or 3 times from OneDrive. By switching to a local account, I was able to get OneDrive to stop grabbing files.
Something like that happened to me when I first set up this PC-- soon to be my former PC, because of a broken keyboard. I was the equivalent of screaming at MS that I just wanted to get RID of this program, because it had already put a sensitive piece of info on the Cloud that I didn't want on there; every time I'd reboot, it'd run again, and the file would go back on the Cloud; MS had me alter my registry. Worked like a charm. I hope my new PC doesn't do the same thing and run whilst I'm first setting it up, or I will have a nervous breakdown.
@@LS-ei7xk That's good to know about the registry setting. Since posting my comment above (maybe about a week ago or so), I learned of some OneDrive settings you can use to better control what gets stored in OneDrive. I can't tell you where those settings are, right now, but you can prevent the "Documents" folder, for example, from being stored in OneDrive. Something to consider for those still dealing with OneDrive.
@@TheCocoaDaddy That's nice to know. A shame we can't post the info here. I just got a new PC with Win 11; strangely enough, it didn't immediately grab my documents, that I could tell. Now MS just keeps annoying ppl with an interface about why one should use one of its programs instead of automatically running them. But I am needing to return that PC anyway, because of other defects, so I'm back to my old PC running Win 10, with a broken keyboard.
One drive is the first thing to go when I start getting rid of all the junk on an install.
I'll hang on to my own stuff just fine. Nothing keeps THEM from searching your files, or anyone who hacks it. You don't know how many copies are made or if anything you delete is deleted.
While I don't have any top secret guvmint material or sensitive company contracts (that you know of) it just seemed like a bad idea from the first time I saw it.
Good video Leo but I think you missed two important things. Before you unlink you should go in and manage the backup feature and turn it off. I don't remember clearly how I did this but it is under settings. This will put your documents, pictures, etc. back to the correct place. The other issue is it may store some things only in the cloud like it did with a clients pictures. OneDrive caused all kinds of issues since we use a different syncing program. Luckily we just created a new profile and the other syncing program put everything back (of course after uninstalling OneDrive).
Sadly my experience is that turning off backup does NOT put things back the way they were. Very frustrating.
@@askleonotenboom Thanks for video. Subbed and liked. MS forced me to use OneDrive. Little did I know It was installed and syncing with new Win 11, Corsair 4090. I was using Documents folder with all my private info as I usually do. I had no idea it was really a OneDrive folder. I did not turn on OneDrive. It had backed up all my private Docs, passwords etc. and family pictures and was keeping NOTHING local. I had no idea how to recover. Took me 6 hours to learn software and recover. Where do I send the bill?
Shame on you MS bully!
Anyways, if you "move" files from OneDrive to local folder (other than 1D folder) they will be deleted on cloud, As opposed to just unlink or "Always keep Local Copy" function of 1D.
The OneDrive folder is full of shortcut redirects and corrupted several of my prefs and all desktop icons etc. Basically it wreaks havoc on left panel of File Explorer as well. Last time I looked I had 3 desktops folders and 2 Documents, 2 Pictures etc Win 11 File Explorer, Oh man, another embarrassment. Later with that.
Keep up good work! You have job security.
50 years IT, never been this angry.!
Sorry to hear that you had this problem but now I know that I am not the only one with a computer science degree that is struggling with one drive. Started when updating to windows 11 and my computer froze. My files have been disorganized for 2 months. Am thinking about going back to Linux
Hi, how do you, "manage the backup features"?
@@leonardodalongisland I just go to OneDrive settings, make sure the save space is turned off (don't exactly remember where this is) so it will take all the files stored in the cloud down and make them local, then I turn off all the backup features that where turned on. Once this is done I uninstall OneDrive. Please note that making some of the files local can take some time. It looks like Leo has a video on how to download all OneDrive files to my PC. I have not watched it yet but it may be something to do before turning off the backup features.
Like Edge, OneDrive is a Microsoft curse. In the old days MS just sold you its software and left you alone. Now - like so many other companies - they're constantly forcing their hairbrainded, half-baked, trashy junk on you at every turn. It would be so nice to be able to get a clean, stable OS installation that ALWAYS works. Sadly, MS's best software engineers are now being deployed to greener pastures (most notably AI) and with Windows we're forced to suffer, having constantly to deal with sh***y, unfinished cr**.
Thank you!!! Onedrive full message was driving me nuts and I don't want to pay for a subscription!
Leo, thank you so much for your clear explanation! I have a 256GB flash drive for programs and OS and a 1T hard drive for data. OneDrive is living on C and sucking up all the room. It was duplicating all my data in the folder on C PLUS storing in the cloud. I don't know why it is set up like this and it's just a very bad system. Thanks for your help.
Very well explained with clear and concise directions! Followed your directions and am now a happy OneDrive free person. Thank you!
Brilliant explanation and instructions. I'm guessing that you are retired and therefore able to spend the time it takes to produce great content. Either way, keep up the charitable work, the world needs you!
I uninstalled OneDrive using Revo, an excellent uninstaller that gets all the leftover stuff a generic uninstall leaves behind. One drive was confusing and intrusive- It keeps popping up. I also fear loss of privacy, not knowing what is getting uploaded. I really hate the way MS pushes their products into your workflow. . What should be neutral administrative settings actually pushes ads for their “360” products. Really annoying. I’m wondering about getting rid of Bing and Edge and using Firefox or other browser. Anyone done that?
Its done because most don't backup at all so the app it set to MS defaults rather than users with no understanding being expected to manually set it up. "I’m wondering about getting rid of Bing and Edge " come approx April 2024 on a clean install if you select EU as the country/region you will get the option to be able to uninstall both and set your search in Win11 to somebody other than bing.
Screw Microsoft. I use Google Drive.
I use Firefox and sometimes Chrome. Never used Bing, Edge or OneDrive.
@@roncaruso931 Like that's any better.
@@roncaruso931
This means you are only moving the location where a large corporation reads your data.
With a NAS and e.g. Owncloud, your data stays with you and no one else.
Leo, your timing and delivery at the start is blooming genius!
I only use my PC for media and games. The constant memory hogging the microsoft stuff manages does my head in.
Got one of those stupide "Memories!!" emails and came to get some help with this. Thank you so much!!! It's very invasive and I have no clue who would even want a random image from their computer emailed to them. This is my computer- it could contain unpleasant but important documents I don't want to see on a random Friday. It is not a social media site where that information has been knowingly and willingly shared publicly for the purpose of revisiting it later.
One thing you missed, Leo. If you right-click the OneDrive folder, select 'Properties', and check the 'Hidden' box then the OneDrive folder will no longer clutter up your file explorer. And it's easy to unhide the folder if necessary.
I did as you suggested, however, OneDrive still shows in file explorer.
@@N7TWL Under the 'View' tab in file explorer, have you checked the box for 'Hidden items'? That's what I meant by "it's easy to unhide the folder if necessary".
Thanks Leo. Does diconecting Onedrive also disconect desktop, documents and photos from the system, but leave it stand alone on the computer?
Another issue that I have noticed with W11, is that Edge coppies all my browsing data from Google Chrome, something I have been unable to detect and block within Edge;s settings.
Disconnecting OneDrive then stops it from interactin gwith Documents, etc. HOWEVER if you had the OneDrive backup featured turned on, then the Documents folder may still be left inside the OneDrive folder... but that's location only, OneDrive isn't operating on it when disconnected. Edge offers the option to import Chrome data when you set it up or begin using it. It's a one-time thing, though.
@@askleonotenboom Thanks again but, Edge copies on a continuous basis. Pity I can't attach a screen shot that I have just done.
Just what i was looking for. Thsnk you! I like the clear video the the text that you don't talk so fast like many RUclipsrs!
05:28 Excellent detail, many thanks for mentioning where is actually located the OneDrive folder in Explorer. In my case, I have deleted it
Props for using Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager. Best and fastest way to launch it, one handed.
Most windows users only know 3 Hotkeys: ctrl+c , ctrl+v, ctrl-x
Some of them know alt-f4. That's all. It is so sad.
@@Thomas_P_aus_M I'm not some hotkey snob, but there's a few that are really good to know for every user. In particular with launching Task Manager, the graphical unresponsiveness means using your mouse and right clicking the Taskbar is a poor method, and using Ctrl + Alt + Del brings the whole computer to a screeching halt, which can cause everything, including Windows, to crash. Ctrl + Shift + Esc lets you try to rescue the situation without upsetting everything.
R-click Start -> L-click Task Manager.
@@bonner92220 have fun with that when your mouse is unresponsive because it's a whole layer further up than keyboard input.
Thank you for sharing in such an understandable concise way! I would like to understand the difference of having OneDrive with out turning on the back up 'feature' ? I mean if it syncs files from your computer to the cloud without turning on 'back up' then what more does back up do?
Thankyou .I recently purchased a new PC because my old PC won't run windows 11 .Some apps just don't like one drive .Fl Studio in particular .I think that windows is being a bit like Golam " sneaky " !
I want to take the time to THANK YOU for being the only video I have watched that answered the biggest questions (that you would think would be important in ALL videos) that I have had and I am leaving here finally confident because of your straight to the point, very informative NOT CONFUSING teachings. lol. thank you.
Leo - a question - In File Explorer - Right Click on Documents > Properties > Location and location shows documents is in the OneDrive Folder. Is this OK and how to change the location?
Change the location by copying or moving the file to a new location as you would any other file. Perhaps I'm missing something?
I never use OneDrive. I couldn't figure it out when I first got my computer so I just walked away from it -- and my opinion of Microsoft dropped even lower than it already was.
I was led into using OneDrive when I needed to transfer files from one Windows 10 laptop to a new Windows 11 one. It took days! And, because of the file size, I had to take out a subscription which allowed the use of Microsoft Office software I don't want. My plan was to cancel the subscription when I was sure the transfer was complete. That's the stage I'm at and this excellent video explanation has given me more confidence to cancel the subscription with consequences I'm not sure about. I wish I'd just used an external drive in the first instance and will be backing up all my files to one before I get rid of OneDrive.
I got rid of it because Microsoft made it the default when Windows was loaded on my computer, and every file I saved was being saved to One Drive and not my computer. When I went to find a file I had saved, I couldn't find it until I looked in the One Drive folder. It ticked me off. I have no problem with MS providing the service to anyone who wants to use it, but forcing it on a user without permission, is not acceptable.
This is helpful. My problem with Onedrive is that it mixed everything up with my Desktop folder and I had a heck of a job sorting things out. In fact, although I got rid of Onedrive months ago, and I'm still not sure where everything is, exactly. it would be far, far better if a new Windows install gave us the option to _not_ install Onedrive in the first place, and let us decide for ourselves whether we wanted things saved to 'the cloud' or not.
Excellent step by step instructions. Easy to understand. Thank you very much.
Clear and complete. Thanks, just in time I did my yearly "Reset this PC" and OneDrive got turned on again (I think!).
I went a little different route. I uninstalled onedrive, then went to settings>storage and pointed documents, pictures, videos and music to a separate MVME drive. I don't like storing that data on the C drive in case it goes bad
That is pretty much what I do, I use C as working system drive (meaning I don't need a very large drive) and use larger mechanical drive as storage. Which in working theory is good practice.
However,
It's not a failsafe and is not protected from any virus, malware etc. Because it's connected to your system and you still should make a backup of that drive to another external drive. Once created separate it from system, do not leave connected.
hey leo i didnt unlink onedrive and i deleted it from settings but when i go to c: drive in file explorer and type onedrive on the search then i see files related to onedrive like onedrive.png, onedrive setup and other things like that. And if i try to delete them my desktop shortcuts go away and the only thing i see in my desktop is the recycle bin
Thank you so very much for this fantastic information, my laptop has been totally messed up with Onedrive since I bought it, this is exactly what I needed to reinstall it and then get rid of it.
It is worth noting that turning off OneDrive does not move the data it contained into the local Documents folder hierarchy. That data remains in the OneDrive folder. I manually copied/moved that data into Documents.
I use Excel like a table of contents to open a myriad of files using hyperlinks. OneDrive made that difficult - the OneDrive path to the files is not native to the local PC. Files stored in OneDrive do not "open" if the are already open - there is an error message generated, instead. That might sound silly, but I switch to open files all the time using my Excel hyperlinks.
Thank you Leo...I find that 'One Drive' is far too intrusive, whatever I wish to do, Microsoft HIJACKS my projects! I attempted to delete my pictures today from 'photos', (I'm unsure where they were, probably Microsoft ?), and they VANISHED! I was lucky that they were in the recycle bin so I was able to retrieve them. I am SO happy that you covered this subject! I will give it a go. 'One Drive for me, is a nuisance! Also, I am waiting for Google to abandon gmail in Basic HTML. The 'Standard' version is AWFUL! Why do they change things for the detriment of their users? If it 'ain't broken, then leave well ALONE, AND they call it progress! I digress..Thank you once more...
Screw Microsoft. I use Google Drive.
@@roncaruso931
This means you are only moving the location where a large corporation reads your data.
With a NAS and e.g. Owncloud, your data stays with you and no one else.
(You have posted it many times, so I answer you many times 😊)
@@Thomas_P_aus_M Whatever.
MS doesn't care about your missing picture if it already has a copy of them. Sorry, but the world is cruel and full of thieves.
Thanks for the video. A couple of years ago, my computer wasn't connected to the net, but I continued using it offline, I had some story drafts I had written and saved while using my computer offline, when we got my computer back online and the one drive resynced to my computer, it deleted all my story drafts. I didn't realise that one drive just overides or deletes files that were altered while offline.
Leo, thank you for this short and comprehensive instruction video!
Great video, thank you. I did manage to get this all figured out on my own about a week ago when I purchased a new PC, and took all the steps you outlined here. The very last thing I noticed was the remaining Onedrive folder. I store a lot of things on my desktop folder, which is normally located in the User folder and was a bit shocked to find that Onedrive had moved it from my User folder and into my Onedrive folder. I managed to change the location of my Desktop folder back to its original location. I then deleted the Onedrive folder. Adios! Now, to deal with Microsoft Edge Uggh!
I really appreciate this video Leo! Saving me much grief and explaining alternatives! Keep up the great work and God Bless You!
As a freelancer I have chosen to move all my customer files and most data files to a separate PRIVATE cloud account, but still leave OneDrive running for only a few files. By modifying the Choose Folders option in OneDrive account settings, you can limit what OneDrive syncs, all the way down to a single folder and file if you want. Just make sure you keep current backups of any files that aren't synced to the cloud, either through a backup service, NAS, attached hard drive, or portable drive.
Good choice. I made the same decision. They simply don't want to make all their RnD documents, drawings be stored in a "secure" cloud, because some day, they will realize that the competition made...the same product, using their draft :) Sad too few people are aware of that "possibility".
You think a private cloud account is saver from access of people who run that cloud ?
Why the urge to store things in places you don't know about.
You keep your Jewelry in a locker in a house you don't even know where it is, and the owner "promised" you to have no 2nd key ?
How many terrabytes of data people have ? Maybe clean out your kitty-image-folder.
Companies might have that amount, but they also have their own servers, so why insist on cloud-storage ?
File-sharing could and still can be done without a "cloud".
@@guruware8612 Well said. Some time ago there was "we want your money" and now "we want your money and data". Soon we might expect adding "...and your private/sensitive data" (health, webcams, cam in a car).
Showing us how to reach the OneDrive folder, very interesting and potentially very useful. Approx. 5 colon 15 on the video's timeline.
An important thing to know about Startup apps: The Startup Settings page Windows 11 shows you defaults to running apps located in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup. While this works, it runs the original .EXE file without any command line arguments. If you want Windows 11 to start up a Shortcut with its own command line options, you need to put that Shortcut in your User Account's AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup folder.
What I find so puzzling is how Microsoft can write so many buggy, impossible to figure out and user-unfriendly programs which carry on being supported for years yet have deprecated really good legacy programs such as Money and the TV recording prog whose name escapes me.
I used and loved MS MONEY back in the day. After they canned it, I ended up going with Excel to store my banking transactions. For what I was doing, it works for me. I certainly didn't need to buy something to do that.
They don't care. They don't have to care. You will keep using it. So they got you
For every 100k units sold it takes 10k techs to repair it, which in turn support the crapware because they make a living. I have been there as A+ tech. Been that way since day one when I starting using it in 1985. No self respecting quality coder would ever work for MS! They farm out many projects to India where a boatload of coders making $5 hr can hardly help but create an over-complicated, overdone, piece of bloatware.
I unsynced it because it was so confusing at first. Now about a year later I think I could probably get some good use out of it so I'll be checking out your other OneDrive videos to learn what it's actually all about before syncing back up. Thanks for the content!
As soon as I get a New PC I go online and download an uninstaller then delete all the stuff I don't want on the PC it might take me a couple of hours but it's worth it.
Nevertheless, it can happen that one day a Windows update will reinstall or reactivate the unwanted things. So you always have to be careful and waste valuable time keeping an eye on this crap.
Using Windows is like buying a big piece of cheese with holes and worms and then plugging all the holes for the rest of your life.
(translated with google, german/english)
@@Thomas_P_aus_M I haven't had anything I've deleted from the windows setup reinstall itself yet and that's in 10 years of using W10 I also delete the Xbox content as I don't need it on my PC.
i do the same thing. Revo uninstaller is the first thing I install to get rid of junk.
You are very good at explaining things. I just have disabled mine in the startup settings.
The problem is that OneDrive pretends to be both a backup tool and a file synching tool. But it's only a synching tool (not a real backup tool). And they way they implemented their pseudo-backup is horrible.
The fact that it hijacks my data by default is enough to not want it.
Screw Microsoft. I use Google Drive.
@@roncaruso931 Google Drive is even worse since Google scans and parses every document you upload to it, and the company's reasons for doing so are not beneficial to you.
@@roncaruso931
This means you are only moving the location where a large corporation reads your data.
With a NAS and e.g. Owncloud, your data stays with you and no one else.
(You have posted it many times, so I answer you many times 😊)
Pick your poison
Its quite good if you want to move to another computer and carry on working without having to copy your user, or if you just want to access one drive and office online and do your work as a guest on another computer. People use it alot in offices for swapping desks.
OneDrive rearranges where your data gets put and it can't be undone.
It can be undone you just need to turn off (untick) OneDrive "Backup Your Folders" before uninstalling OneDrive. Now the default 3 folders it moved to OneDrive (Desktop, Documents & Pictures) still remain in OneDrive so you can right click on each folder, select Properties, select Location Tab then select Restore Defaults and it will be moved back.
This was the part of the video I hoped Leo would have covered in more detail, ie. how to restore the folders that Onedrive ‘stole’ from my system. Thanks for the info on how to do that!
👍 Thank you SO much. I've watched many videos and read many documents about how to untangle my PC from the insidious OneDrive and you are the first one to make sense with something that actually works. After following your clear, straightforward instructions, my OneDrive cloud storage is now a separate entity that I can download from, and I've taken back control of my file backups. I much prefer doing manual backups to an external hard /SSD/USB drive without the B.S. of having folders and files hijacked or deleted from my PC when I delete them from the backup. Phew. One less thing in life to stress about.
🥰
Subscribed- Thank you Leo - updated to windows 11 and then no longer knew where my files were going because of too many drives
he said the title in the firs 1 milliseconds of the video........he is the CHOSEN ONE!!!!!
I absolutely despise OneDrive because it overloaded my disk space and permanently made it so my computer is constantly over full. My device is sitting at 185 percent full and i desperately need to clear this damned application off. Thanks for the video!
I've run into the same problem with storage space. It also completely demolished my iTunes folder. Never making the mistake of installing OneDrive again. I'm still trying to fix all the damage it's caused
Great explanation of how to de-install. I am wondering if you have encountered this problem: I download a Google photo to Windows and copy it a photos folder on file explorer. I did this in the past, but now with Onedrive/Windows 11, I get a message invalid value for registry. Do you know how to solve this? I don't like the way Google share files and therefore used the download method in the past.
I would suggest before uninstalling OneDrive if it has been set to Backup Your Folders (default is: desktop, Pictures & Documents) that you first turn untick those folders otherwise trying to say restore the documents folder now located in OneDrive from it's right click Properties, Location Tab will likely result in an error message that's easiest fixed by reinstalling OneDrive, signing in then untick those folders in "Backup Your Folders".
Thank you so much for this !!! I've finally found the information I needed to undo my One Drive on my new computer without deleting the account.
Intrusiveness be gone! Thanks for this well-presented, easy fix. Worked like a charm. Great marketing idea, Microsoft: add annoying red "x" icons all over your files and folders if you've exceeded the free cloud storage limit. The final straw for me was I added pictures to my photo folder this morning and OneDrive disabled the extra large and large thumbnail views and only allowed icons to be displayed instead unless I upgraded my storage. How incredibly petty.
Thanks Leo ,one drive was getting in the way of when I was settling up folders
Why does Onedrive add /t/ in the file path? It was never there until I installed Onedrive.
Forgot to mention it is Windows 7.
This might be the most simple and amazing video of all time, thanks man
Has to be the best tutorial. It just works, no more running out of space notifications
Always a great pleasure, Leo. Thanks!!!
I tried to uninstall and it appeared to do so but it still in my folders. Didn't work! Down to destruction with ONE DRIVE!! All it has done is create a giant mess for me and my computer. Microsoft harassing me about purchasing more storage. I didn't even know I was loading up to one drive. Everytime I shut it down it comes back to life on its own
Thank you so much for this super helpful video! Not only did this help me get rid of one drive which I didn't want in the first place, but also gave me a clear explanation of the workings of apps. Thank you so much!!! You made my day!
Thank you. I had no idea what was happening as all of a sudden my OneDrive in my phone went up to 28,000 files and I had just bought a new laptop to work with my art. I actually paid for more space when I already pay for drop box. This makes me super irritated. Not sure I have the ability to get rid of it completely but I think I understand you can get it off your devices without losing the iCloud OneDrive info. Thanks for the info. Thumbs up, 👍
Excellent presentation. I have a little trouble following your cursor on my pixel 4a. It might help if you could put a yellow circle around your cursor as i have seen many RUclipsrs do this. Just a suggestion. Thanks
Thanks Leo, I hated the One drive. It was a pain cause I couldn't see my newer files cause the one drive was full. Now I can see them all by unlinking them
Thank you so much for this great video! I've been having such an awful time with OneDrive that now I absolutely hate it. I had to replace my old computer, which had OneDrive on it but only bugged me about saving Word docs. So I have files I working on and suddenly after the last update couldn't find them. Eventually found them in OneDrive. I turned off the auto backup and moved the files back only to have it take them again. Now, I have two copies of OneDrive and and it's still hijacking my files. I hope your wonderful video will let me put this monster to bed for good! Thank you for saving my sanity.
Thank you Leo. You have a talent as a good clear and concise educator, I’m upgrading to a Panasonic Tough Book soon, have you or can you do a video on what to do with a New machine to get rid of all the (big brother) app and tricky that the tech companies sneak into machines (I don’t want or need “cloud” computing) or anything similar, I run a back up onto my own free standing hard drive once a week. Thank you again.
The 1st words out of his mouth is to try to say good things about the OneDrive. And he says "that running without OneDrive is what you really, really want to do". LOL You make it seem like such a cautious decision! Yes get rid of it! Good video
This was REALLY helpful. I moved my team to Dropbox, and REALLY needed them to stop putting files there by accident!
Like this video very much. Leo, in connection to OneD, is it possible to remove "Start backup" from file explorer without losing any files stored in OD? It's my understanding they are connected. Look forward to hearing your answer.
Where are you seeing "Start Backup" in Windows File Explorer?
@@askleonotenboom yes, in file explorer.
You may find that Windows defaulting documents to the OneDrive folder interferes with installation of some older software. This can be easily changed in the Windows registry.
Hey Leo - Thanks a LOT, this video helped me to be free of yet another Microsoft tyranny. OneDrive nearly hammered a critical DB I'm developing. The worst part is what Microsoft doesn't tell you the extent to which it manipulates your system. And I'd point out that although it's disconnection leaves it 'benign', the alteration of the file structure can be a pitfall for the simple reason that was unexpected and not implicitly stated at the outset. Thanks again.
After uninstall Onedrive as a storage folder. In future whatever programme or etc is being downloaded or saved, where do those items being saved directly? Thanks
Thank you sir for this amazing content. Hope you get millions of subscribers. Can't believe no one had explained all this with all the deep details and in such a form that anyone can understand. Subscribed!
What about archiving the contents on Onedrive and move the archive to Google Drive then unarchive the file and that should be that providing you have a Google account.
how do you keep the camera (on surface pro 9) from recreating the folder and using it instead of my camera roll? I have the same problem with the scan app.
what about unsyncing files on the onedrive app? should i do it before unlinking and deleting the app?
The files actually on your PC will remain, but I always recommend backing up first.
I was puzzled to see the space in C drive dwindling. Soon I searched for Large files and noticed a replica of OneDrive folder in C drive. I discontinued synchronization and deleted all replicated files. The space in my C drive is within safe limits since then.
Thanks for the information on additional step of Uninstalling.
Thanks Leo. The Onedrive Documents folder really F'd up my modded game files in Documents when it moved them over not even sure when that happened.
@1:40 or so you say to click on the one drive icon in task bar. Are you using 11? I'm using 10 and don't have one drive on the task bar.
If there's a "^" on the taskbar, click that to expose more notification icons.
I have been able to move most of the system folders out of one drive and to the root of drive D: where I prefer them. I have NOT been able to move the Documents and Pictures folders out of One Drive to D: and have them remain as system folders. What am I missing? Thanks for a great video.
I did everything you said, uninstalled the app, but some folders in my pc has these red x's on them after one drive was activated. What do the red circles with an x mean on only some of the folders?
Thanks!
thank you!
Great video! Jamming One drive into Windows 11 with out an easy guide to follow makes this a confusing nightmare. I erased program and hope I don't need in the future. Thanks again!
Why not just go to Settings -> Apps -> Startup and set the flag for OneDrive to Off, which as I understand it will prevent OneDrive from starting when you log in to your account. Wouldn't that be the simplest and most easily reversible of all solutions?
Also, given that there are two kinds of accounts -- Microsoft accounts and local accounts (which are what I use) -- do the ramifications of "getting rid of OneDrive" differ between the two?
I don't trust MS/Windows to not start the service again later. Disconnecting OneDrive seems equally easily reversible.
Excellent video, Leo. Organized, reasonably paced, well spoken, good use of screens.
Bruce, former IT Trainer
I almost made a mistake, I purchased downloaded and installed Microsoft Office 2019. Figuring I might still need it. Once I give up on trying to get a job, I will not worry about it and just use Libre Office. It installed the Onedrive but I still had to log in. I didn't so it hasn't moved by files to the one drive. Boy was I worried.
What happens with the files that are not fully downloaded on the computer when you disconnect OneDrive as proposed in the video? What happens with the sync and backup connection of the documents, music, pictures folder after disconnecting the OneDrive?
All you've done is disconnected that one computer. Files remain in the cloud at onedrive.com and on any other computers configured to download the.
Thank you!!!!! It should be illegal for Microsoft to default to sending your personal documents to their cloud. Sure, we may not be logged in but if you think that'll stop them, I've got this bridge...
Thanks
Thank you!